Downers South's Mersh a gem
By Rob Valentin
Sports editor
Downers Grove South’s Marissa Mersch had the type of season every high school softball player dreams about.
Every time she went to the plate, it seemed like the ball was coming at her in slow motion and as a result she regularly punished pitchers.
The junior center fielder batted leadoff for the Mustangs and finished the season with a
.532 batting average and had 74 hits, both of which were school records. Mersch scored 52 runs, had 20 doubles, three home runs, 24 RBI and an on base percentage of .581, making her a deserving choice to be the 2010 Bugle/Enterprise Softball Player of the Year.
“She’s just an outstanding leadoff hitter and certainly ignited our whole offense by getting on base as much as she did,” South coach Ron Havelka said. “She had a great year for us and she doesn’t have a lot of infield hits.
“She hits a lot of gappers and she also has a lot of stolen bases. She had 25 steals so it’s like a double every time she gets a hit. She also played well in center field.”
Mersch started as a freshman but it was certainly noticed how much better she’s gotten. A lot of the improvement comes from hard work in the offseason.
“We had strength and conditioning programs in the offseason and I would go to every one of them and work really hard,” Mersch said. “I got a lot stronger as time progressed and that really helped me out. Then I’d go into my back yard and hit off the tee and my dad would soft toss to me.”
Olivia Bell
The Plainfield South senior batted .495 with 54 hits, five doubles, eight triples, seven homers and 38 RBI. She also had a .890 slugging percentage.
“Her contributions were immeasurable this year,” South coach Kristi Boe said. “Olivia always got a hit when it was needed, was a leader, and carried our team this season. She has a great future ahead of her, her leadership and ability have left a permanent impression on Plainfield South High School.”
Robyn Chearo
Perhaps one of the most improved offensive players in the state, Plainfield Central's senior catcher raised her average over 200 points from last year.
She ended the season with a .454 batting average with 27 RBI, 11 doubles, three triples and two homers. Her defense was strong as well with a .990 fielding percentage and throwing out 13 of 22 runners attempting to steal en route to an All-Southwest Prairie Conference selection.
“Robyn has been on the varsity for three years and she saved her best for last,” Plainfield Central coach Anne Campbell said. “Offensively, she led the team in hitting and was solid behind the plate. Robyn worked hard to improve her game every day. She was a leader and captain for our team.”
Julia Cohen
The junior came into the season as the backup first baseman for Maine South but quickly took over the starting job.
Cohen had a solid year in the field with a .987 fielding average on 152 chances. She also finished with a .324 batting average and had one home run.
“In her first chance at first she proved that she should be our No. 1 first baseman,” Hawks coach Emmy Pasier said. “She was strong in the field, had great range and was almost perfect when finishing a play. All of this was on the field but she was also a team player and supportive of her teammates in any situation. I look forward to another year with her.”
Cara DeLange
The senior pitcher for Plainfield Central finished the season 19-4 with a 1.59 ERA in 158 innings. She struck out 182 batters, which was an average of eight strikeouts per game. At the plate she batted .333 with nine doubles, two homers and 21 RBI.
DeLange was an All-SPC member and was the Plainfield Central Female Athlete of the Year.
“Cara has been an asset to our program for the past two years, her record speaks for itself,” Campbell said. “She has been a leader on and off the field and we will miss her. One of Cara's biggest strength's is her calm demeanor on the field and her competitiveness. She will do well at Ferris St. next year.”
Olivia Scott
A leadoff hitter with surprising power, the junior shortstop from Plainfield Central belted nine homers on the year. She batted .318 with four doubles and 28 RBI, while walking 21 times and stealing 11 bases.
“Olivia also had a breakout year offensively,” Campbell said. “She has been our leadoff hitter for two years and is a spark plug for the team. She was a leader and continued to grow as a player all season. We look for her to be the team leader next year.” |
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